Health expert says people over 40 should take action as disease sweeps country

A health expert has told people over the age of 40 that they need to take steps to avoid a serious disease sweeping the country. Five babies in England have died after being diagnosed with whooping cough, health officials said amid a rapid rise in cases.

More than 2,700 cases of whooping cough have been reported in England so far in 2024 – more than three times the number recorded last year. Now, speaking on Good Morning Britain, Dr Ellie Cannon said that although people were generally vaccinated as children – but by the time they reach their 40s it will be gone.

And she added that if the adult has whooping cough, their children are more likely to have it too. She said: “Unfortunately, there has been a decline in the number of pregnant women getting vaccinated. The reason we’ve been vaccinating pregnant women for over 10 years, actually, is because they’re immune. They won’t catch whooping cough. And they will not pass it on to the newborn child.

“Because as you know, newborns don’t even start their vaccines until they’re two months old. So there’s been a decline in that.” She explained that the loss that puts children at risk could come from the anti-vax movement. She said: “There may be some problems with the legacy of conspiracy theories from Covid. But also the access problems around Covid. Remember, people just couldn’t get vaccinations even if they wanted to. I have seen this with many of the childhood vaccines. So there are some kind of kids now who might be in primary school who were little kids during the pandemic and haven’t been vaccinated.”

On the issue of older adults, she said vulnerable people should contact their GP to see about an increase in vaccination: “People my age, in their 40s, were vaccinated when they were babies, but actually our vaccines are gone, so GPS like me see a lot of people in their thirties, forties and fifties who have actually been vaccinated, but they’re no longer immune.”

New figures from the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) show that 2,793 cases were reported by the end of March. This compares to 858 cases for all of 2023.

The UKHSA said there were five child deaths between January and the end of March. UKHSA consultant epidemiologist Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam said: “Whooping cough can affect people of all ages, but for very young children it can be extremely serious.

“Our thoughts and condolences go out to those families who have lost their child so tragically.” In March alone, some 1,319 cases were reported, according to provisional data.

The bacterial infection, also known as pertussis, affects the lungs and breathing tubes. Whooping cough can be called the “100-day cough” because of how long it can take to recover and it spreads very easily.

556 cases were registered in January and 918 in February. Pregnant women are urged to take up the pertussis vaccine offer so they can pass on protection to their babies, which should last until they are old enough to get vaccinated.

Between January and the end of March, 108 babies under the age of three months were diagnosed with whooping cough. About 51% of cases during this period were among those aged 15 and over. Health officials describe whooping cough as a “cyclic disease,” meaning it peaks every few years. In the case of whooping cough, this happens every three to five years.

The last big increase was seen in 2016, but cases fell to very low numbers during the coronavirus pandemic, meaning the current peak is “overdue”, UKHSA said. It added that the impact of the pandemic means there is “reduced immunity in the population”.

The UKHSA also said vaccine uptake has fallen in recent years – both for pregnant women and children. Dr Amirthalingam added: “Vaccination remains the best defense against whooping cough and it is vital that pregnant women and young children receive their vaccines at the right time.”

The NHS recommends that all pregnant women should be vaccinated against whooping cough between 16 and 32 weeks. Immunity from the jab crosses the placenta to protect newborns in the first weeks of life.

When a baby is eight weeks old, they are given the six-in-one vaccine, which includes immunization against whooping cough. The second dose of vaccine is given at 12 weeks and the third is given at 16 weeks.

When children are three years and four months old, they will be given the four-in-one preschool booster, which protects against pertussis. Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director for NHS England, said: “With cases of whooping cough continuing to rise sharply across the country and today’s figures sadly showing five child deaths, it is vital that families shows up to get protection. they need.

“If you are pregnant and have not yet been vaccinated or your child is not up to date with whooping cough or other routine vaccinations, please contact your GP as soon as possible and if you or your child are showing symptoms ask for an urgent appointment see a doctor or get help from NHS 111.”